Know What To Do If You or Your Dependent Get Sick While You’re Away From Home!

You’re going on vacation, visiting family out of state, or sending your child off to an out of state college. What happens should you or your dependents get sick or injured and need to see a doctor?

The Local 338 Health & Welfare Fund uses MagnaCare, a regional Preferred Provider Organization (PPO), for its participants to access hospitals and providers within New York and New Jersey. But if you’re out of state, the MagnaCare network will not be available. That’s why on the front of your Local 338 Health & Welfare Fund/MagnaCare ID card it says:

As part of our Plans, Local 338 Health & Welfare Fund, through MagnaCare, has established a relationship with a national network, First Health Network, to access if you’re traveling outside of our New York or New Jersey.

Your medical claims through First Health will be electronically sent to MagnaCare who will re-price them using the First Health Network discounted rates, and then send them electronically to the Local 338 Health & Welfare Fund, just like with your regular in-state medical claims.

All you have to do is take that first step – calling First Health or visiting their website (myfirsthealth.com) – to make sure that the provider or hospital you are visiting is in the First Health network.

Please be sure that you don’t simply ask the doctor or hospital, “Do you take First Health?” They might “take it” but still be out-of-network, leaving you a much larger out-of-pocket balance to pay. Ask the provider or hospital, “Are you in the First Health Network?” If yes, then your claim will be an in-network claim, entitling you to much lower cost shares and much lower out-of-pocket costs.

However, if you or your dependent plan to travel internationally and need information about accessing healthcare information while abroad, please contact our office at 516-294-1338 ext. 1776.

No one wants to get sick while they’re away from home but the best case is to be prepared should it happen. We hope this gives you peace of mind while you or your dependents are traveling!

LOCAL 338 RWDSU/UFCW • 1505 Kellum Place • Mineola, New York 11501
Main Office (516) 294-1338 • Union Call Center (516) 294-1338 ext. 1775 • Medical Call Center (516) 294-1338 ext. 1776
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